Arts listings from across the Annapolis Valley

Jealous George (Scott McQuillin) is tackled by the gang of girls - Jacqueline (Colleen Rowland), Suzanne (Miriam Orlando), and Suzette (Alexi Payzant). It’s all part of the farcical fun onstage in Don’t Dress for Dinner at King’s Theatre April 27 and 28 at 7.30 p.m., and April 29 at 2 p.m. - Contributed

Concerts, plays, art exhibits from Windsor to Annapolis Royal

A look at upcoming arts and entertainment events in the Annapolis Valley:

Fundy Cinema film screenings

Fundy Cinema screens The Shape of Water: In Guillermo del Toro's Oscar-winning otherworldly fairytale set in 1963, lonely, mute Elisa (Sally Hawkins) works as a janitor at a secret government laboratory where she discovers a classified experiment in the shape of a strange amphibious creature and hatches a plan to save its life at the risk of her own.

The Shape of Water will be shown Sunday, April 22 at 4 and 7 p.m. at Al Whittle Theatre, 450 Main St., Wolfville.

Fundy Cinema also screens Maker of Monsters: The Extraordinary Life of Beau Dick: An intimate look at the life of one of Canada's great artists, master wood carver Beau Dick, who achieved international acclaim as a mask maker and used his celebrity to call attention to the injustices done to his people, the Kwakwaka'wakw First Nation, and the environment.

Maker of Monsters: The Extraordinary Life of Beau Dick will be shown Wednesday, April 25 at 7 p.m. at Al Whittle Theatre, 450 Main St., Wolfville.

Tickets at each show are $9 and are available 30 minutes before screening.

Nine local choirs of all ages will come together in a celebration of community singing Sunday, April 22 at 3 p.m. at Acadia's University Hall.

Annapolis Valley Honour Choir and the North Mountain Community Chorus are joining forces to present a joyful concert that will shine a bright light on the wonderful community singing happening in our valley. Other participating choirs include the Kings Chorale and Kings Chorale Children’s Chorus, Middleton Choral Society, Military Wives Choir, Dukes of Kent, and Our Tunes – a brand new community choir that has begun this year in Wolfville.

Each choir will be showcased, with the grand finale seeing more than 300 voices joining together. Throughout the afternoon the audience will be invited to participate in sing-alongs of Nova Scotia favourites.

A free will donation will be collected at the door (suggested donation $10 adult, $5 child). All proceeds from the concert will be donated to support choral and singing programs in local schools.

Three Billboards at King’s Theatre

King’s Theatre screens Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri on May 4 at 7 p.m. and May 6 at 2 p.m.

Frustrated with the lack of progress by the local police in finding those responsible for the brutal murder of her daughter, a mother (Frances McDormand) installs three controversial billboards on the edge of town to goad the department into action. Her decision leads to a clash with both the chief of police (Woody Harrelson) and his unhinged second-in-command (Sam Rockwell). Lucas Hedges, Clarke Peters, Peter Dinklage, John Hawkes, Abbie Cornish, and Caleb Landry Jones co-star in this crime drama from writer/director Martin McDonagh (In Bruges).

Tickets are $10 adult, $9 with Film Buff card, and $8 youth. General admission seating. Doors open 45 minutes before the show.

Rock band Carry The Lost, the epitome of the do-it-yourself work ethic, hits the stage at King’s Theatre in Annapolis Royal on April 20 at 7:30 p.m.

By fusing technical know-how with artistic skill and several years of unassisted endeavours, the Halifax-based hard rock five-some -- vocalist/guitarist Colin Tye, bassist Aidan Zann-Roland, drummer Ken Ross, guitarist/vocalist Ave Trefry. and acoustic guitarist/vocalist Dana Perry -- has built an established name, refined its sound and accrued a loyal fan-base with nothing more than some time, touring miles and a few excellent releases.

Catch them at King’s.

GoTo: www.kingstheatre.ca

Tickets are $30; $26 for Members; and $12 for Youth.

Murder Weapon at CentreStage Theatre

A mystery to challenge any armchair detective comes to CentreStage Theatre starting April 20.

When Chief Constable Bligh accompanies her friend, Diane Tulliver, home to Dysart Hall after a night at the choral society, they arrive to a horrifying scene. Diane’s husband, Paul, has been shot dead and ex-convict, Charley Mirren, is standing over him bearing a gun. Open and shut case, you say? Perhaps not. Murder Weapon by Brian Clements will certainly appeal to the detective in everyone.

The play is directed by George Henry and Peter Booth. The cast in order of appearance: Chantal Murphy, Kevin Pearle, Bryen Stoddard, Paul Abela , Darrell Doucette, Carolyn Landry, Richard Richard. The featured artist is Peter Booth.

The dates are April 20, 21, 27, 28, 29m, May 4, 5, 11, 12, 13m, 18, 19. Front of House opens at 6:45 p.m. for the evening performances and 1:15 p.m. for the matinees.

This Earth Day Clean Annapolis River Project and Young Company Productions have teamed up to stage a production of MindShift. MindShift is all about shifting our culture toward environmental sustainability by inspiring action. This is a family friendly performance. Free will offering, no advance ticket purchase.

MindShift is directed by Gillian Ormerod and will be performed on Saturday, April 21 at 2:30 p.m. at Macdonald Museum 21 School Street in Middleton, and on Sunday, April 22 at 2 p.m. at The Academy, 590 St. George Street, Annapolis Royal.

Donations from a freewill offering will be shared by Young Company Productions and CARP.

For more information email youngcompanyproductions@gmail.com.

Devon Barclay at Wayfayer’s

Singer/songwriter musician Devon Barclay grew up in Kentville and currently lives in Glen Haven – but he’s back in the Valley to launch an album and play a few tunes at Wayfayer’s Ale Society in Port Williams.

The show takes place on Saturday, April 21 starting at 8pm .

Tickets are available at eventbrite.ca ($10 in advance or $15 at the door). And you can find all the updates, upcoming shows etc. for Devon and his band through Facebook at devonmusic.

Friend Mike Butler wrote: “This is a very talented man who shows no signs of slowing down.”

Barclay’s EP is called ‘It’s Over’ and is being officially being released April 30 through iTunes Store, Apple Music, Spotify, Tinder, Google Play, and all other major digital distribution services.

Mossman’s short stories book talk subject

When they talk books at the Kings County Museum on April 24, think survival.

The museum hosts its Public Book Talk at 7:30 p.m. at the museum’s courtroom upstairs and Random SHOTS by David Mossman will be the topic.

Survival, the act of staying alive, is the theme of Mossman’s collection of short stories selected across the life of a lucky and well-travelled risk-taking Maritime son. As story-teller, Mossman draws heavily on personal experience as an exploration geologist to recount incidents on four continents.

A seventh-generation Canadian, Mossman was born in Rose Bay, Lunenburg County and is professor emeritus of geoscience at Mount Allison University. He is also the author of Going Over: a Nova Scotia Soldier in World War I and Oceans of Rum: the Nova Scotia Banana Fleet in Rum-Runner Heaven.

When Jacqueline announces she is off for to visit her mother, an ideal opportunity presents itself for her husband Bernard to inveigle his chic, Parisian mistress Suzanne into their country cottage for the weekend. Why not invite along his best friend Robert too, as an alibi? And to make the arrangements easier, he’s hired a Cordon Bleu cook to rustle up the necessary gourmet delights.

The cook? Ah, that’ll be street-wise Suzette. And her jealous husband, George? Well, he’s a BIG fella! And did we mention that elegant Jacqueline is having a torrid secret affair with the rakish Robert?

Throw in a dash of Chanel and a glug or two of Cointreau – the stage is set for a hilarious, fast moving farcical romp of mistaken identities, illicit trysts, quick-thinking improvisations, bribery and seduction, as the plans for passion turn into a nuptial nightmare!

Old Man Luedecke will headline the second annual Mud Creek Rotary Benefit Concert in support of No Time for That Anti-Bullying Society April 27 from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Wolfville Farmers’ Market. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Elsie Morden also entertains and speakers include Starr Dobson from the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia, Shelley Richardson of Kids Help Phone, and Mike Danton, former NHL player and coach of the Junior A Valley Wildcats.

The public may arrive early to view the military equipment display outside. The opening ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. and is followed by a reception. Admission to the opening is free.

MacDonald Museum is located at 21 School Street.

At Jack’s Gallery

Acadia University Studio Art and Jack’s Gallery at 450 Main Street, Wolfville presents Haydon Ali: The Garden until April 29.

Haydon Ali is a fourth year sociology student at Acadia University who is minoring in studio art. This exhibition represents a culmination of his participation in an independent study course, with his professor Judith Leidl.

The Garden was inspired by flowers discovered in the various countries Haydon lived in growing up. These florals aim to convey a sense of the textures, colours, and fragrances from Haydon's memories as an expat youth overseas.

Children of Eden at Festival Theatre

Music and colour fill the air as the St. Joseph’s Stage Prophets present Children of Eden in Wolfville. Stage Prophets 16th production brings this family-friendly storyline to life with universal themes and catchy music that has been performed by thousands of schools and theatre groups.

Children of Eden is a touching musical about parents and children. The show focuses on the challenges of making choices, forgiveness, letting go and the obvious good and evil that live within all of us. It’s an inspiring story through music, costumes, acting and magnificent life- sized animal puppets. The production features cast from the Annapolis Valley and Halifax, many whom are returning to the stage from last year’s production of “Anne & Gilbert”

There will be six performances of Children of Eden taking place from May 17 to 20 at Festival Theatre in Wolfville. Nightly performances start at 7 p.m. with 1:30 p.m. matinees on May 19 and 20. Tickets are $20 and available at the following locations:

-- Occasions Gifts and Décor, Kentville

-- Box of Delights, Wolfville

-- Acadia Box Office – 902-542-5500

Kentville’s Hardware Gallery offering

Hardware Gallery in Kentville is currently showing a group exhibit by local artists Shasta Grant and Simone Labuschagne that runs until April 25 and will be followed by a solo exhibit by artist and arts educator, Terry Drahos.

From April 27 to May 30, Drahos will present her body of work inspired by architecture. She uses bold colors and shapes reminiscent of both rural and urban constructions rendered into abstraction.

Hardware Gallery is run by the Kentville Art Gallery Society, a nonprofit society established in 2017 with the mission to offer cultural experiences in downtown Kentville and provide exposure to contemporary and historical aesthetic practices.

If you’re making your summer plans, here’s one that should make your list. The Smokin’ Blues Fest at the Hants County Exhibition Grounds in Windsor July 6 and 7 boasts a lineup of great blues and rockin’ blues talent including the Christine Campbell Band, John Campbelljohn, Beauwater, the Kendra Gale Band, the Dan Doiron Band, Ced, Martyy & Dave, Curtis Matheson, amd the Logan Richard Band – and that’s just for starters. More acts are being added.

The event, dubbed ‘A Beacon of East Coast Blues’ is open to all ages, includes and after-hours acoustic jam, has free parking, on-site camping, and food and artisan vendors. Kids 12 and under get in free.

Go to www.smokinbluesfest.ca for day and weekend passes that start at $20.